1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical interferometer and a signal synthesizer, and particularly to an optical interferometer applied to an optoelectronic device for performing signal processes for operations or communications, which are employing optical pulses and a signal synthesizer using the optical interferometer.
2. Description of the Related Art
On/off switching of output optical pulses using the difference in phase between two optical paths of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer is a well-known technique. However, since a long pulse of sub-nanoseconds or so has heretofore been used, the spectrum of the pulse is very narrow. Further, the conventional Mach-Zehnder interferometer controls the intensities of the output optical pulses but encounters difficulties in controlling their spectra.
The prior art has a problem in that although it performs intensity modulation on the output optical pulses with respect to relatively long pulse of sub-nanoseconds or so, the control of the spectra of the output optical pulses or the effective synthesis of signals by decompositing the spectrum and controlling each spectral component has not yet been taken into consideration.
An object of the present invention is to provide-an optical interferometer capable of allowing control of spectra, control of output optical pulses by utilizing a controlled stable interferometer and a femtosecond pulse having a wide bandwidth in combination, and a signal synthesizer using the optical interferometer, and a signal transmission method.
Typical examples of various inventions of the present application have been shown in brief. However, the various inventions of the present application and specific configurations of these inventions will be understood from the following description.